Adani Carmichael mine gets go ahead from federal government

$16.5 billion Galilee Basin Carmichael coal and rail project

The federal government has this week approved Adani Mining Pty Ltd’s controversial $16.5 billion Galilee Basin Carmichael coal and rail project in Queensland. As usual the approval is subject to strict conditions to protect the groundwater.

The Carmichael mine, which when completed will be Australia’s biggest coal mine at 60 million tonnes output�per year, has sparked protests from green groups and marine tour operators worried about carbon pollution and export of the coal from a port near the Great Barrier Reef.

The Carmichael coal deposits can be found in the Galilee Basin, where massive reserves of coal remain untapped due to the hefty costs of building the associated infrastructure to carry coal to the east coast port of Abbot Point, which is approximately 500 kilometres away from the mine.

Despite the challenges of developing the Carmichael mine; Adani and other Galilee Basin mining companies such as�GVK (which is working on developing its own Galilee Basin coal project with Gina Rinehart’s Hancock Coal), are still forging ahead with plans to build enormous new mines, rail lines and a port terminal.

Adani Chairman Gautam Adani again has come out saying he welcomes the Minister’s approval of the Carmichael Mine and Rail project, which takes Adani another step closer to developing the multi-billion dollar mine, rail and port development which will create thousands of construction and permanent mine jobs for Queenslanders.

Adani has also been busy signing up major contractors to develop the infrastructure. the 500km rail line contract was awarded to South Korea’s POSCO Engineering & Construction Co Ltd.